Mr Carson, Scotch, birthday cake and Isis
by Chelsieobsessed1980
Summary: It's Elsie's birthday and Charles decided to prepare a surprise for her, unusual surprise which would reveal his true feelings for her, but his courage left him in the last minute. So instead of spending a lovely evening with her, celebrating her birthday, he is sitting in his pantry, with a bottle of Scotch, a birthday cake accompanied by Isis.


MR CARSON, SCOTCH, BIRTHDAY CAKE AND ISIS

**Hello all. So, last night this crazy idea popped into my brain and it wouldn't let go. This is something totally different from all that I wrote so far. Usually in my stories I focus on describing sweet and loving Chelsie moments, but this time I will go for something lighter, with a little bit of fun and completely out of the character. I just feel like it ;-) Of course Charles-Elsie love will be mentioned (how could it be differently), but in a alter way than usual.**

**It's Elsie's birthday and Charles decided to prepare a surprise for her, unusual surprise which would reveal his true feelings for her, but his courage left him in the last minute. So instead of spending a lovely evening with her, celebrating her birthday, he is sitting in his pantry, with a bottle of Scotch, a birthday cake accompanied by Isis. Story takes place somewhere in the middle of season three I suppose. Hope you will enjoy it.**

**It's all about drunk Carson talking to Isis ;-) One shot.**

**Legal note: Still don't own any of these characters, but they own my mind for quite a while...**

Charles was sitting in his pantry, locked away from the world. This evening has not ended the way he planned it. This was Elsie's birthday and tonight he wanted to do something special for her. He prepared to this day very carefully. He bought flowers, beautiful roses. He always associated roses with Elsie. The most beautiful flowers and the most beautiful woman. He went to the village, smuggled the bouquet into his pantry, put it in the water and hid it in the cupboard, in his pantry. He also bought a small birthday cake for Elsie in the local pastry shop. Mr Brackett who was running the place, was his old friend and he gladly made the delicious chocolate cake for him, in the shape of a heart-for Charles's special order. He didn't ask any questions and Charles was very happy about it. He wasn't quite sure how, but he managed to hid it as well, along with the bouquet.

He went through all this trouble for the woman he loved. This night was suppose to be the night when he finally wanted to confess his feelings to her. After all that heavy moments they went through recently, with her health scare, the awareness that he could lost her forever, helped him to make the decision. He knew that he wasn't suppose to wait any longer, because time was precious. They were not getting any younger and if something had happened to her...Charles didn't even dare to finish the thought...He spent few of previous nights thinking about how he is going to surprise her with those wonderful gifts, but most of all, he was imagining the moment when he will confess his feelings to her...All the scene was played in his head constantly..But it was not meant to happened. Charles wasn't aware that his plans will be deranged by Mrs Patmore. As Elsie's best friend, who was with her through all the health scare, she felt that she needed to do something nice and special, to reward Elsie those difficult moments. So she baked a great cake, asked Thomas to buy few bottles of the finest wine and she invited all the servants for a little gathering, after the dinner. She managed to keep that in secret from Elsie. Charles was a little astound by this turn of events, but even though he decided that he will invite Elsie to a glass os Sherry in his pantry, after a surprise party which Beryl was preparing for her. He was sure that nobody knew about his plans...But he was wrong, the cook who knew him better by now, sensed that there was something going on with him and ever since she observed him descreetly, until the point when she saw him coming back from the village, rushing to his pantry with a bouquet in one hand and a box from the local pastry shop in the other. In the first moment she thought that maybe he wanted to add a contribution to her secret party, but when he didn't bring the cake to the kitchen, she understood that he was planning a party, but a secret one-for two of them. Beryl was wise enough to know what was going in the butler's heart. Especially after his behavior during Elsie's health scare. It was more than obvious that these two were madly in love with each other. She was only hoping that she won't get in the way with the thing he had planned, but she figured that after the servants will end celebrating Elsie's birthday, Charles and Elsie will have their own, quiet private time to do whatever he planned for them to do. She was a little sorry that she couldn't know what that is, but she was sure that Elsie will tell her everything the next day. And if she won't Beryl will definitely drag this out of her.

But that was not meant to happened. Elsie's surprise party in the servants hall was indeed a great success as they managed to keep it as a secret until the very last minute and Elsie was genuinely pleasantly surprised and happy. She got so many warm wishes, so many kind words and everyone were craving for the little bit of her attention that night. In all this confusion, Charles suddenly started to break. His subtle plan, carefully worked out, was now fading away. His doubts and fears once again took the lead. What if that was not that good idea? What if she won't be happy about the gifts? What if someone finds them together and get's the wrong idea? What if it will turned out that her feelings for him are not the same as his feelings for her? The fear took over him and at one point he already knew that he won't be able to accomplish his mission. So he quietly backed down to his pantry, comforting himself with a thought that in all this confusion his absence will came unnoticed. But again, that was also not true.

He sat in his pantry, sad, confused and completely depressed. He listened to the noises from the servants hall, which were slowly getting quiet and he understood that the party and an evening are coming to an end. All his dreams and all his hopes were lost now. Once again his damn fright and pride deprived him a chance of happiness. Feeling really frustrated, he opened a bottle of Scotch, which he kept hidden in the cupboard, for some special occasion. He didn't even remember why he kept it in there. But it was the right moment to open it now. So he did. He drank a large portion of it. He sat alone in his room, but not completely alone. Isis-Lord Grantham's dog, who often accompanied him during the day, to Lord Grantham's big dissappointment, somehow got through to his pantry and was now sitting near his legs, watching an odd behavior of the man she knew and liked. The downstairs hall was now completely quiet and Charles assumed that he was all alone, started to talk to himself, or to the dog. He didn't actually realized why he was talking anyway. Whilst pouring himself another large glass of Scotch, he addressed to his only companion:

"You see how this ended. That's not how it was suppose to be. I was meant to spent that evening with Elsie. I was suppose to tell her that I love her. That I always loved her. That I was scared to lost her recently. That I want her to be my wife. And what?" Instead of that, I'm here alone, drinking and talking to Isis..."

Isis waggled her tail, when she heard her name and looked at Mr Carson in anticipation.

"Look what I bought for her. Roses. You see, beautiful roses...The most beautiful in the flower shop. And a cake...A heart-shape cake. I almost damaged my reputation asking about a heart shape cake in a local pastry shop and what? Nothing..."

He took the flowers and the cake from the cupboard and put them in the edge of his desk. Isis was still observing Charles's movements, hoping to receive some good treat from him, as she usually did.

He poured himself another large glass and sipping it willingly. He was now more than dizzy and he was wondering why the room was starting to go round suddenly?

"All for nothing. As always..I will never tell her. I'm going to wait and wait until we will be too old to think about marriage...Or another Joe Burns will appear and he will take her away from me...And I will stay here..Silly, old fool, as I am..Silly old fool with his propriety...Without the woman he loves...With nothing, but a bottle of Scotch...Scotch...Isn't that funny dog? Scotch. I was suppose to have a beautiful Scottish woman in my arms now and instead I'm holding Scotch...But what do you know about that? You only care if you will have some beacon from my lunch sandwich, as you usually do..That's why you are here Isis..."

Isis arise from benath the desk, hearing about beacon and still not stopping to waggling her tail, she looked at Charles, still hoping to get some treat.

"If I could just have a courage to tell her...Just this once...If she could know that she is the love of my life..But no..I can't even do that right...I already lost one woman in my life..And now I'm loosing another...So here's to women, dogs and Elsie's birthday.."

He raised a glass and took a deep haust from the glass, the bottle was almost empty now and Mr Carson started to get the hiccup.

"There you go dog...Here is the beacon that you want...Have that Isis..."

He reached for the plate, with a leavings of the sandwich, that was still there, since lunch time but it was too far away to reach it, so he rose from his chair to get it but he didn't predict that his legs will deny him the obedience and he collapsed to the floor, knocking the bouquet in the crystal vase and a cake which were still on the edge of the desk...The vase fell far away from him, causing the water to drip on the floor, while the cake collapsed straight on to his face, smashing right on his face and his neck. But Mr Carson was not aware, as he temporarily lost his consciousness at the moment...

_Meanwhile in the kitchen_

The party was over and everyone went downstairs but Elsie and Beryl remained there, talking quietly about today's events. Elsie was very grateful to Beryl for all the trouble she went through, to prepare this party for her and she expressed her gratitude few times. They were talking about different things, when Beryl finally got to the subject that she wanted to get to:

"Have you spoke to Mr Carson? If not, then I think you should. I maybe shouldn't telling you this by I believe that he had some big plans for you two tonight."

"What plans? I don't know anything. Besides I think that he already went to bed by now. He seemed very distracted today. I doubt that he had any plans."

"I assure you that he did...You know that he has a soft spot for you"

"Don't be daft! I'm only his friend" Elsie denied, feeling that she blushed deeply by Beryl's words.

"I can assure you that you are more to him than just a friend. He is hopelessly in love with you"

"He is not! I don't believe that!"

"Well I'm telling you that..."

Suddenly their conversation was interrupted by the big noise coming from Charles's pantry. Big bang, followed by a more disturbing silence. They looked at each other and rushed out towards his room, to check what was the cause. Beryl entered, without knocking and Elsie was right behind her. One look at the room and Beryl immediately realized that Mr Carson was drunk as hell, lying on the floor of his pantry, with a bouquet of flowers surrounding him, with a cake smashed at his face. Isis was standing over him, licking the bits of the cake from his face and neck.

"Oh dear Lord Mrs Patmore, is he all right?"

"Of course he is. Just take a look at him. His drunk. He drank almost all the Scotch." Beryl pointed at the bottle lying on the desk. "And look what he prepared to you this evening-the flowers, the cake. It's all for you"

"I don't believe that! Surely it wasn't..."

Elsie's statement was suddenly interrupted by Mr Carson's mumbling. Without opening his eyes, still being in a state of half-consciousness, feeling Isis licking the cake from him, he mumbled the words which left no doubts to both women:

"Elsie...My love...Oh, your sweet kisses...Such sweet kisses..Of course I love you..."

Hearing those words Elsie and Beryl couldn't stop from laughter...They were laughing so hard that they had to lean on the wall, to stop from falling...

"I told you so! Didn't I tell you? The old grump is in love with you as hell!"

"I suppose he is. If only he knew from whom those kisses come from!"

They were standing, pressing their hands to their mouths to choke of the laughter, while Mr Carson half-awake, was still in the land of dreaming. Convinced that the smooches he is receiving are coming from Elsie.

**I don't know why, but I really needed something like that today. A silly fluff that can take a mind from other things. I hope that you will enjoy this little silliness. All my favorite characters were included: Elsie, Charles, Beryl and Isis. If you like this please let me know ;-) As usual sorry for any possible mistakes. I wrote it in one afternoon.**


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